Chapter 1: Dream or Reality
by Cherlindrea Wand
Summary: Arthur doesn't want to admit he has weaknesses, let alone that they have something to do with Ariadne. But when Dom calls with the news that Ariadne may be in trouble, will Arthur be able to just walk away?


**Chapter One**

Arthur felt something warm and soft straddling his hips. Fingertips barely grazed the skin of his naked stomach, causing the muscles to clench tightly. He tried to move from the teasing caress but found himself unable to. Frowning in confusion, his hands automatically moved to explore what kept him pinned down, shocked when they landed on the softest, smoothest surface he had ever felt. Whatever it was rested on each side of his hips and he couldn't help but move his hands against it, a soothing balm to his calluses. Suddenly, he heard a noise above him that sounded strangely like a moan. Before he could even digest that bit of information, whatever he had felt grazing his stomach a moment ago moved towards his ribs, a very dangerous area.

"Uh-oh, is that a smile I see? Could the indestructible Arthur actually be ticklish?"

Arthur's whole body went still at the sound of the voice. Not just any voice. _HER_ voice.

"Ariadne?"

"'Bout time you woke up and noticed me," she said softly. "I was beginning to think you were dead to the world."

Arthur's eyes snapped open then. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, but there above him was Ariadne, a slight smile tugging at one side of her luscious mouth. He finally met her gaze and something seemed…off. There was something in her eyes that was different, like in the way her eyes looked heavy lidded, the pupils dilated…Arthur felt the air leave his body as reality dawned on him. What he saw in her eyes was arousal. Ariadne was aroused. By him. _Him?_

Arthur took that moment to assess the situation. After all, it was his job to pay close attention to details. His eyes traveled down from her face to her chest, surprised to see that she was wearing one of his button down dress shirts. And it wasn't buttoned up all the way since he could see her beautiful neck, collar bone, and even a tiny bit of cleavage. Arthur tried swallowing which was almost impossible because of his very dry throat. His eyes zeroed in on her hard nipples that poked up against the white fabric, confirming his suspicion. She was not wearing a bra. It was in that second that Arthur became aware of something else. He was hard as hell. His gaze quickly fell lower and what he saw finally put things into perspective. Ariadne was above him because she was straddling his hips and his hands…his hands were wrapped around her soft, smooth thighs. Automatically his dark eyes moved to the apex of her thighs which was resting directly over his rock hard cock. He couldn't see anything since the shirt pooled down to cover her but it didn't take rocket science to realize that all that separated his naked flesh from hers was a pair of very wet panties.

"Fuck," Arthur said through clenched teeth, letting his head slam back on the pillow. He closed his eyes tightly, and began silently counting backwards from 1,200. He needed a distraction fast in order to stop the throbbing in his dick.

"Arthur?"

_1,190. 1,189. 1,188._

"Arthur."

_1,187. 1,186. 1,185—_

"Arthur!"

"What," Arthur growled, his eyes snapping open to glare up at her.

"It won't work."

"What won't work?"

"Whatever you're trying to do in your head to stop your body's reaction to mine."

"And how the hell do you know that?"

Instead of answering with words, one of her hands reached beneath her to grab his engorged shaft. Only he was quicker once he realized what she was about to do. Arthur wrapped his hand around her small wrist, being careful not to assert too much pressure.

"Ariadne, no."

"No?"

"That's right, no."

"Okay."

"We can-t—what?"

"I said okay."

"Oh. Okay."

"But under one condition."

"I'm not falling for it, you little imp. No conditions."

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"No big deal. I'll just tie you up next time."

"Ariadne, there won't be a next time."

"Of course there will. You sleep like the dead."

"No I don't. I'm a light sleeper. In fact, I'm afraid to ask how the hell you got in here past my security."

"That's for me to know and you to find out. But just be aware, Arthur. It _will_ happen again."

"Fuck."

"I like the way you say…'fuck'."

"Ariadne…"

"Hmm?"

"What…condition?"

Ariadne hesitated, biting her lower lip. "The condition is that you…kiss me."

"Kiss you? But I already have."

"Not that kind of kiss."

"What do you mean 'not that kind of kiss'? What was wrong with it?"

"Nothing. It was nice. But I want more."

"More?"

"Yes, more. Like with tongue and an actual exchange of saliva."

"That sounds disgusting."

"Really? 'Cause your cock thinks differently."

"Fuck…"

"I love—"

"Don't you _dare_ say it."

"Fine. So what shall it be?"

"Let me get this straight. You'll leave and never try to pull this stunt again in exchange for a kiss?"

"Not just any kiss."

"Right, a kiss with 'tongue and an exchange of saliva.'"

"Correct. But I like to think of it as a passionate kiss."

"Right. Passionate."

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay, Ariadne, but you need to leave after the…kiss. We can't do anything beyond that. I could never—"

"Arthur?"

"Yeah?"

"Just shut up and kiss me. Please…"

Arthur wasn't sure if it was the way she said the word please or if it was his own impatience to finally know what it would feel like to kiss Ariadne with nothing holding him back. Whichever it was caused something inside him to snap. Needing no further encouragement, he yanked on the wrist he still had his fingers wrapped around, causing her to lower over him. His mouth met hers halfway and he could feel Ariadne's hesitation once their lips met. That moment of doubt or insecurity floored him. It made Arthur realize that the bold, young woman from a few minutes ago was gone. In her place was the innocent, unsure girl that had worked up enough courage to tease and seduce him. Something warm filled his chest and he had the greatest urge to not only reward her but to set her mind at ease.

Closing his eyes, Arthur shut his brain down and let instinct take over. He ran his tongue across the seam of Ariadne's soft lips as he let go of her wrist. His hands slid down underneath the shirt she wore to cup the twin globes of her ass. Ariadne gasped in surprise and that was all the opening he needed. Arthur thrust his tongue inside her mouth, coaxing hers to come out and play. At first she slid her tongue against his tentatively, but when he tried to retreat, something that sounded awfully like a growl erupted from Ariadne's throat. Arthur's cock pounded to the rhythm of his elevated heartbeat when she sucked his tongue back into her mouth.

It didn't take Arthur long to come to terms with the truth. It wouldn't be Ariadne breaking the rules of the condition. It would be him. There was no chance in hell he could walk away after getting a taste of her. He knew it all along which is why he had made sure months ago that nothing ever evolved from their first kiss. One kiss from Ariadne would never be enough.

Arthur let the tension leave his body, his sole focus now on her and how good she felt in his arms. While his right hand was kneading one of her ass cheeks, he moved his other up under the shirt to cup a breast, his thumb rubbing against her hard nipple causing her to gasp. His mouth watered at the thought of taking that tight little bud in his mouth. Arthur didn't even try to hold back a groan as he pulled her bottom lip into his mouth and sucked on it.

"Arthur," Ariadne said breathlessly, breaking through the fog in his head.

"What?" he growled, running his tongue down her neck, nipping at the sensitive skin.

"Your phone."

"Phone?"

"It's ringing."

Arthur grunted. "Don't care."

"You have to answer it."

"Later. Busy," he said, feeling a sense of urgency. He reached for the front of her shirt, intent on ribbing it open, too impatient to worry about buttons.

"Arthur…I'm sorry."

His whole body went still at those words. "Sorry? For what?"

"I-I need to go."

_Over his dead body._ "Go? Hell no. I'm not finished with you."

"Bye, Arthur."

"Goodbye? Ariadne wait."

"I can't! I don't want to go but I have to. They're here."

"They're here? Ariadne, who's here? Where the fuck are you going?"

"Answer the phone, Arthur. If you want to help me, please answer the phone!"

"Ariadne, you're making no sense! Don't go, wai-!"

Arthur jackknifed off the bed, his glock 17 already out from under his pillow and in his hand. He held his breath and waited for his vision to clear and adjust to the darkness of the room. He cocked his head slightly, every muscle taunt with tension, ready to pounce at the slightest unusual sound or movement. It was then that he realized his cell phone was ringing and it took him another 20 seconds to realize what had happened.

He had been dreaming. Ariadne had been nothing but a figment of his imagination.

Letting out the breath he had been holding, Arthur dropped back onto the bed, his gun arm splayed out lazily across the mattress while the other covered his eyes. He took several deep breaths, working on calming his erratic breathing and heartbeat. Ariadne hadn't been here. She hadn't been straddled on top of him, driving him insane and making him lose control. She was in Paris, at school where she belonged. It had only been a dream. A strange feeling of relief and disappoint hit him all at once, making his chest ache. It should make him happy that she was continuing on with her life after the Inception job. It _did_ make him happy. Then why was there a hollow ache in his chest? Why was his cock still throbbing as if mocking him for even trying to lie?

Growling in frustration, Arthur glared at the phone that had still not stopped ringing. Or rather it had after going to voicemail but apparently whoever was calling him wouldn't give up. He looked at the clock next to his cell. 3:34 A.M. Jesus Christ. Who the hell would be calling him at this hour?

Suddenly, Arthur felt a memory of the dream wash over him. Of Ariadne pleading with him. _"Answer the phone, Arthur…please…"_

For a split second apprehension rushed through him. Reaching for the phone, he yanked it off the nightstand and the chord it was charging from and held it above him. The collar ID read _DOM COBB_. Arthur let out a sigh of relief, a shit eating grin covering his face. It was only Dom.

Hitting the talk button, Arthur grinned into the phone. "Don't tell me you miss me already."

"Ariadne's in trouble."

Arthur sat up quickly, tension filling his body again. He reached out blindly for the nightstand, feeling around for his totem. "What?"

"I said I think Ariadne's in trouble."

_She couldn't be. This had to be a dream. A nightmare._ "No, Dom. There is no 'I think'. She either is or isn't. So which is it?"

"She's missing."

"Missing?" Just then, Arthur's fingers found the loaded die, cursing silently. This was no dream.

"Yeah. My father called. He said that Ariadne had been acting strangely, coming to class late, distracted, on edge. He had every intention of pulling her aside to see if she was okay but by the time class ended—even when he let students out a few minutes early—she would already be gone. About 2 weeks ago he received an email from Ariadne. She apologized for her recent behavior and said she hadn't been feeling well and would be taking a week off to see a few specialists. My father tried calling her a week later several times and each call went straight to voicemail. Finally he decided to visit her at the campus apartment she shared with a roommate. The other girl said that she hasn't seen Ariadne in about 2 weeks. Their schedules are very different and the roommate often spends the night over her boyfriend's place so she didn't suspect anything unusual until recently."

As the line grew quiet, Arthur stood up from the bed and began to pace. How could this have happened? Who would want to harm Ariadne? A crazy ex-boyfriend? The thought of her with another guy let alone being hurt by him had Arthur gritting his teeth. What the hell was wrong with him? Why did he even care?

"Arthur? You still there?"

Dom's voice cut through his disturbing thoughts. He didn't need this right now. "So why call me?"

"Well I….thought you cared. You know. About her."

Arthur wasn't even going to try dignifying that observation with a direct response. So instead he went with indifference. "Get someone else."

"I can't."

"Why?"

Dom sighed. "Because I'm not leaving my kids again. At least not for awhile. You know what it took for me to get back to them. I'm staying stateside for now."

"Eames?"

"You know Eames. When he doesn't want to be found…"

"Fuck."

"Yeah. Hey, listen. Don't worry about it. It's not your responsibility. It's mine. I'm the one who brought her onboard. I should have thought about the risks."

Arthur stopped pacing at that comment. "What…risks?"

"Think about it, Arthur. What makes you think we're the only ones that have noticed Ariadne's skills?"

"Yeah but you went to your father—"

"I did. But who's to say other companies don't have spies or recruiters blending in at schools now? We gave Ariadne a choice. But there are other people, powerful, _greedy_ people out there that would use force to recruit someone with Ariadne's talents."

"Jesus Christ, Dom."

"It's not your problem, Arthur. Shit, I shouldn't have called. I put you guys through hell so that I could get back to my children, not thinking about the reperccusions that could affect my team."

"Shut up."

"What?"

"You heard me. I'm tired of you always trying to take the brunt of the blame for everything. The last time I checked I was a grown man, Dom. I think I'm capable of making my own decisions and you sure as hell didn't hold a gun to my head when I accepted my part in the Inception operation. You didn't even have to ask me. But Ariadne…she didn't ask for this. Nor was she prepared. She's the innocent one."

"Yeah, I know."

"Dom, call your father."

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to need information. When she was last seen. Where. Her apartment address and the name of her roommate. Among other things."

"Damnit, Arthur, I told you not to worry about—"

"You're wasting time, Mr. Cobb. I'm hanging up now."

"Why?"

"Because I need to book a flight to Paris."

**END OF CHAPTER ONE**


End file.
